Liquid detection sensors are capable of detecting the presence of liquid in a medium. Liquid detection sensors typically operate by detecting a change of a property of a portion of the liquid detection sensor that is designed to change in the presence of liquid, such as water. For example, some electronic devices include small stickers that are designed to change color (e.g., from white to red) when the sticker is in contact with water.
Electronic liquid detection sensors conventionally rely on the change in conductivity of a medium to detect the presence of water or other liquids. For example, an electronic liquid detection sensor may include two terminals spaced apart and configured to conduct a current. During normal operation, since there is no electrical conduction path between the two terminals, no current flows between the two terminals during normal operation. When water is present between the two terminals, the water creates an electrical path that allows the flow of current between the two terminals. Therefore, the liquid detection sensor can sense the presence of a liquid between the two terminals when the current flowing through the terminals is greater than a predefined threshold. The electronic liquid detection sensor may, for example, trigger an alarm to alert a user of the presence of water when the current flowing through the two terminals is greater than the predefined threshold.
Conventional electronic liquid detection sensors, therefore, are capable of detecting the presence of liquid when at least a portion of the liquid detection sensor is in contact with the liquid.